Stephon Lindsay, 35, entered an Etowah County courtroom in handcuffs and leg irons, dressed in red and white striped prison coveralls as the child's mother, Tasmine Thomas, and members of her family looked on. Deputies stood on either side of him as he conferred with lawyers. He gave no expression during the hearing.

Morgan Cunningham, a lawyer for Lindsay, requested a mental evaluation, which was granted by Circuit Judge Billy Ogletree.

"He ain't crazy," said one of the family members, just before a bailiff told her to be quiet.

Thomas, investigators say, told police that she had not seen Maliyah Lindsay since March 5, when Stephon told Thomas he was taking the child to visit his sister. Thomas contacted police after speaking with the sister and finding the woman had not seen the child in weeks.

Relatives later said Lindsay may have killed the child as a result of some kind of satanic ritual. Etowah County District Attorney Jimmie Harp said an autopsy ruled the child died of blunt force trauma and that a knife or sword was used in her death.

Thursday's hearing was over in less than 30 minutes. Thomas did not speak after the hearing, as Ogletree has issued a restraining order on witnesses speaking about the case.

Outside the courtroom, Thomas' aunts, Catherine Jackson and Carla Thomas, said the month since the child's death as been "hell."

"I've got a lot of hatred inside that I'm going to have to really pray about," Jackson said. "He has no remorse. He wasn't insane when he killed my niece."

Family members said they still don't understand what could have inspired the killing.

Thomas said Tasmine has "good days and bad days" since the child's death. "She's pouring out love to her other daughter," she said. Tasmine has another infant daughter. "She's got a lot of pain that she's got to deal with."